Due to the fact that this format is based on standard HTML/CSS it is quite straightforward to control the appearance of the output using inline styles. You can apply CSS tags/classes to the cells/rows/tables, etc.

Caution
Microsoft Word 2003 displays grid lines by default. These lines just shows where the table/cell/row borders are. If you want to remove them, you should choose Table>>Show Gridlines (uncheck this option).

In order to aid the developers, we exposed the ExportCellFormatting event. It fires for each cell in each data item in RadGrid.

Note
Please note that the ExcelExportCellFormatting event (Excel-specific) is marked as obsolete as from RadControls for ASP.NET AJAX Q1 2011.

There are two important members exposed by the ExportCellFormattingEventArgs:

• Cell - this is a reference to the current TableCell. You can use it to apply specific CSS style or to gain access to the GridDataItem object:

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

GridDataItem item = e.Cell.Parent as GridDataItem;

CopyVB.NET

Dim item As GridDataItem = TryCast(e.Cell.Parent, GridDataItem)

• FormattedColumn - this property returns an object of type GridColumn. It helps to distinguish to which column the current cell belongs to.

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

GridColumn column = e.FormattedColumn as GridColumn;
string columnName = column.UniqueName;

CopyVB.NET

Dim column As GridColumn = TryCast(e.FormattedColumn, GridColumn)
Dim columnName As String = column.UniqueName

The purpose of this event is to allow the developer to insert global styles (CSS) or configuration options (XML) to the exported file. A possible application for this event is to enable the grid lines for the current worksheet:

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

protected void RadGrid1_HTMLExporting(object sender, GridHTMLExportingEventArgs e)
{
    e.Styles.Append("body { border:solid 0.1pt #CCCCCC; }");
}

CopyVB.NET

Protected Sub RadGrid1_HTMLExporting(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As GridHTMLExportingEventArgs) Handles RadGrid1.HTMLExporting
    e.Styles.Append("body { border:solid 0.1pt #CCCCCC; }")
End Sub

Thanks to the ExcelExportCellFormatting event it is really easy to apply custom styles to the rows/cells. The following code-snippet demonstrates how to style the alternating items:

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

protected void RadGrid1_ExcelExportCellFormatting(object source, ExcelExportCellFormattingEventArgs e)
{
    GridDataItem item = e.Cell.Parent as GridDataItem;
    if (item.ItemType == GridItemType.AlternatingItem)
        item.Style["background-color"] = "#359AFF";
    else
        item.Style["background-color"] = "#2D62FF";
}

CopyVB.NET

Protected Sub RadGrid1_ExcelExportCellFormatting(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As ExcelExportCellFormattingEventArgs) Handles RadGrid1.ExcelExportCellFormatting
    Dim item As GridDataItem = TryCast(e.Cell.Parent, GridDataItem)
    If item.ItemType = GridItemType.AlternatingItem Then
        item.Style("background-color") = "#359AFF"
    Else
        item.Style("background-color") = "#2D62FF"
    End If
End Sub

Sometimes the developer needs to highlight the negative values (for example: -1, -5, -10.5) - this could be achieved in the same event handler:

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

protected void RadGrid1_ExcelExportCellFormatting(object source, ExcelExportCellFormattingEventArgs e)
{
    if (e.FormattedColumn.UniqueName == "MyColumn" && double.Parse(e.Cell.Text) < 0)
        e.Cell.Style["background-color"] = "#FA2020";
}

CopyVB.NET

Protected Sub RadGrid1_ExcelExportCellFormatting(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As ExcelExportCellFormattingEventArgs) Handles RadGrid1.ExcelExportCellFormatting
    If e.FormattedColumn.UniqueName = "MyColumn" AndAlso Double.Parse(e.Cell.Text) < 0 Then
        e.Cell.Style("background-color") = "#FA2020"
    End If
End Sub

These events are useable in different scenarios, for example:

• to apply styles to items other than GridDataItem
• to format Word document, since the ExcelExportCellFormatting event is Excel-specific

They are not as convenient as the ExcelExportCellFormatting event because the developer should use flag to distinguish whether the current item/cell is being exported or displayed.

Please keep in mind that if you don't use IgnorePaging="true"RadGrid will be exported directly and the ItemCreated/ItemDataBound events won't be fired.

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

bool isExport = false; //Export flagprotected 
void Button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    isExport = true;
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.ExportToExcel();
}
protected void RadGrid1_ItemCreated(object sender, GridItemEventArgs e)
{
    if (e.Item is GridHeaderItem && isExport)
        e.Item.Style["background-color"] = "#EEAAEC";
}

CopyVB.NET

Private isExport As Boolean = False 'Export flagProtected
Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
    isExport = True
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.ExportToExcel()
End Sub
Protected Sub RadGrid1_ItemCreated(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As GridItemEventArgs) Handles RadGrid1.ItemCreated
    If TypeOf e.Item Is GridHeaderItem AndAlso isExport Then
        e.Item.Style("background-color") = "#EEAAEC"
    End If
End Sub

When IgnorePaging="false" you should rebind RadGrid manually, otherwise this approach won't work. The above code needs only one change - put RadGrid1.Rebind() after the point where you set the flag.

Microsoft Office HTML format allows you to define custom number formats by using the mso-number-format style attribute. Several examples are shown below:

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

protected void RadGrid1_ExcelExportCellFormatting(object source, ExcelExportCellFormattingEventArgs e)
{
    switch (e.FormattedColumn.UniqueName)
    {
        case "C1":
            e.Cell.Style["mso-number-format"] = @"\@";
            break;
        case "C2":
            e.Cell.Style["mso-number-format"] = @"$0.00";
            break;
        case "C3":
            e.Cell.Style["mso-number-format"] = @"0000";
            break;
        case "C4":
            e.Cell.Style["mso-number-format"] = @"mm\/dd\/yyyy";
            break;
    }
}

CopyVB.NET

Protected Sub RadGrid1_ExcelExportCellFormatting(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As ExcelExportCellFormattingEventArgs) Handles RadGrid1.ExcelExportCellFormatting
    Select Case e.FormattedColumn.UniqueName
        Case "C1"
            e.Cell.Style("mso-number-format") = "\@"
            Exit Select
        Case "C2"
            e.Cell.Style("mso-number-format") = "$0.00"
            Exit Select
        Case "C3"
            e.Cell.Style("mso-number-format") = "0000"
            Exit Select
        Case "C4"
            e.Cell.Style("mso-number-format") = "mm\/dd\/yyyy"
            Exit Select
    End Select
End Sub

You can see some of the most common custom number formats and their description in the following table:

Another interesting feature, supported by the Excel export are the formulas. You can assign the desired formula to a specific cell by applying the formula attribute.

Note
The formula attribute is valid in the context of the Office HTML only. You shouldn't apply this attribute unconditionally in order to prevent validation problems.

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

protected void RadGrid1_ExcelExportCellFormatting(object source, ExcelExportCellFormattingEventArgs e)
{
    GridDataItem item = e.Cell.Parent as GridDataItem;
    if (e.FormattedColumn.UniqueName == "C5")
        e.Cell.Attributes["formula"] = "=E1*2.14";
    if (e.FormattedColumn.UniqueName == "C1")
        e.Cell.Attributes["formula"] = String.Format("=SUM(B{0}:D{0})", item.ItemIndex);
}

CopyVB.NET

Protected Sub RadGrid1_ExcelExportCellFormatting(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As ExcelExportCellFormattingEventArgs) Handles RadGrid1.ExcelExportCellFormatting
    Dim item As GridDataItem = TryCast(e.Cell.Parent, GridDataItem)
    If e.FormattedColumn.UniqueName = "C5" Then
        e.Cell.Attributes("formula") = "=E1*2.14"
    End If
    If e.FormattedColumn.UniqueName = "C1" Then
        e.Cell.Attributes("formula") = [String].Format("=SUM(B{0}:D{0})", item.ItemIndex)
    End If
End Sub

You can use the HideStructureColumns property to hide GridRowIndicatorColumn, GridExpandColumn and GridGroupSplitterColumn. For the other columns types, you can use the following approach:

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

protected void Button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.GetColumn("C2").Visible = false;
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.ExportToWord();
}

CopyVB.NET

Protected Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.GetColumn("C2").Visible = False
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.ExportToWord()
End Sub

There are two common ways to hide an item.

• Directly - in the button handler when exporting from a button or on ItemCommand when exporting from the built-in buttons

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

protected void RadGrid1_ItemCommand(object source, GridCommandEventArgs e)
{
    if (e.CommandName == RadGrid.ExportToWordCommandName)
        RadGrid1.MasterTableView.Items[2].Visible = false;
}

CopyVB.NET

Protected Sub RadGrid1_ItemCommand(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As GridCommandEventArgs) Handles RadGrid1.ItemCommand
    If e.CommandName = RadGrid.ExportToWordCommandName Then
        RadGrid1.MasterTableView.Items(2).Visible = False
    End If
End Sub

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

protected void Button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.Items[2].Visible = false;
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.ExportToWord();
}

CopyVB.NET

Protected Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.Items(2).Visible = False
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.ExportToWord()
End Sub

• On ItemCreated / ItemDataBound - this approach should be used when IgnorePaging="true" or when you call RadGrid.Rebind before exporting.

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

bool isWordExport = false;
protected void RadGrid1_ItemCommand(object source, GridCommandEventArgs e)
{
    if (e.CommandName == RadGrid.ExportToWordCommandName)
        isWordExport = true;
}
protected void RadGrid1_ItemCreated(object sender, GridItemEventArgs e)
{
    if (isWordExport && e.Item.ItemIndex == 2)
        e.Item.Visible = false;
}

CopyVB.NET

Private isWordExport As Boolean = False
Protected Sub RadGrid1_ItemCommand(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As GridCommandEventArgs)
    If e.CommandName = RadGrid.ExportToWordCommandName Then
        isWordExport = True
    End If
End Sub
Protected Sub RadGrid1_ItemCreated(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As GridItemEventArgs)
    If isWordExport AndAlso e.Item.ItemIndex = 2 Then
        e.Item.Visible = False
    End If
End Sub

There are various ways to set the width of a given column.

• declarative approach:

CopyASPX

<telerik:GridBoundColumn ... HeaderStyle-Width="20px" />

• in code-behind - before export:

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

protected void Button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.GetColumn("C1").HeaderStyle.Width = Unit.Pixel(20);
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.ExportToExcel();
}

CopyVB.NET

Protected Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.GetColumn("C1").HeaderStyle.Width = Unit.Pixel(20)
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.ExportToExcel()
End Sub

• in code-behind - on TH elements

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

protected void RadGrid1_ItemCreated(object sender, GridItemEventArgs e)
{
    if (e.Item is GridHeaderItem && isExport)
    {
        foreach (TableCell cell in e.Item.Cells)
            cell.Style["width"] = "20px";
    }
}

CopyVB.NET

Protected Sub RadGrid1_ItemCreated(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As GridItemEventArgs) Handles RadGrid1.ItemCreated
    If TypeOf e.Item Is GridHeaderItem AndAlso isExport Then
        For Each cell As TableCell In e.Item.Cells
            cell.Style("width") = "20px"
        Next
    End If
End Sub

You can specify the horizontal alignment, using the text-alignCSS attribute. Please note that it is not possible to apply this attribute to the whole header row - you should set it to each cell (TH) separately. The aforementioned limitation concerns only to the header items.

There are several limitations that you should have in mind:

• embedded images are not supported
• exporting invisible RadGrid - to avoid problems with missing content, you should temporary show RadGrid before export
• OpenOffice, AbiWord, etc doesn't support this standard so they won't show the files properly
• in theory all Microsoft Office versions from 2000 up might work, although we don't guarantee that any version, prior to 2003 will display the Office HTML formats as expected